Don’t Toss That Used Motor Oil! Here’s Why You Should Always Recycle It

Used motor oil should be re-refined and recycled to cut back on crude oil demand and protect local waterways.

Changing your vehicle’s oil is necessary to keep it in top shape, and doing it yourself can save time and money. But when it’s not properly handled, the used oil from a single oil change can be a disaster for the environment, contaminating one million gallons of fresh water and putting wildlife at risk. Viscous and full of heavy metals, used motor oil is viscous and slow to degrade, sticking to bird feathers and polluting crucial sources of drinking water.

Instead, place it in a container with a lid and bring it to a participating NAPA Auto Parts store or other local auto repair shop to keep it out of local waterways and give it a new life. That used motor oil will be sent to a re-refinery, where it’s decontaminated to remove impurities like chemicals, dirt, metals and water. That preserves the original oil molecules, enabling re-use.

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, one gallon of used motor oil provides the same 2.5 quarts of lubricating oil as 42 gallons of crude oil. If the used oil from every DIY oil change was properly recycled, it would provide enough re-processed motor oil for more than 50 million cars a year.

Check out all the chemical & lubricant products available on NAPA Online or trust one of our 17,000 NAPA AutoCare locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on how to change your car’s oil , chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTO PARTS store.